


Lovely Hope

by Moiloru



Series: Makoto Naegi and Kyoko Kirigiri's Loving Game [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Background Saihara Shuichi, Best Friends, Bisexual Naegi Makoto, Boss/Employee Relationship, Crushes, Dark Past, Dinner, F/M, Female Friendship, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Future Foundation (Dangan Ronpa), Hope, Hope's Peak Academy, Implied Relationships, Love Confessions, Male-Female Friendship, Mental Breakdown, POV First Person, Post-Canon, Post-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Romance, Romantic Friendship, Shyness, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24570790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moiloru/pseuds/Moiloru
Summary: After the Final Killing Game, Hope Peak’s Academy plans to build a better world full of hope. At its head is Makoto Naegi, a young man who even through everything life threw at him, managed to keep going forward and not fall into despair. He had multiple reasons to keep moving onwards, but there was one name that came up time and time again: Kyoko Kirigiri. With a new chapter of his life getting underway, will Makoto be able to confess to the woman of his dreams?
Relationships: Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto
Series: Makoto Naegi and Kyoko Kirigiri's Loving Game [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775947
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	Lovely Hope

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place right after the events of Danganronpa 3 in a timeline where the events of V3 happen outside of the Ultimate Real Fiction. With that said, and even if it's obvious, major spoilers for every game (even UDG!) and the anime. Enjoy!

I was in one of the many classrooms of the brand new Hope's Peak Academy. Sitting peacefully like I had done for many years at school, watching through the window at the sunny sky. I suddenly heard someone come in and turned around. I noticed the soft voice of my new subordinate and longtime friend.

"Excuse me, Mister Principal, they are waiting for you."

"Thank you, I'll be right there."

Kyoko Kirigiri, my friend since high school and the vice-principal of Hope's Peak. We went through so much together, whether it was the Killing School Life, our time at the Future Foundation when she was my boss in the 14th Branch, and of course more recently, the Final Killing Game. We saw dark times together along with our friends, but in-between all these dark moments, are good memories. I'll cherish these memories forever, these memories of hope. This is why I actually decided to open Hope's Peak again: we need to guide the next generation towards that same hope, for everyone's sake. So that they can fully embrace what despair took from us. And I know that with Kyoko by my side, we can definitely be successful.

"I gathered everyone at the gym as you asked. It is quite impressive when you see them all in one place.", Kyoko said.

"I can't wait to meet them!", I replied. "They are probably nervous, but I'm probably as nervous as they are!"

"But there's no need to be nervous, Makoto!", she told me. "You're the boss, now, aren't you?"

She gave me a gentle wink. She's right, I shouldn't feel nervous! After all, everything will be fine! How do I want to restore hope for everyone if I can't even deliver a speech?!

I stood up and followed after Kyoko to the school's gym. We had the place entirely renovated to host many events, from sports tournaments to mini-concerts. We entered by the personnel backdoor and I walked to the stand where all my notes were already organized. Kyoko stood a few steps from me as I got my first good look at all the students who had been accepted for this first year. Eight-hundred and seventy-three young people that, when gathered like this, seemed like tens of thousands! I sent a last look to Kyoko who gave me a small nod of encouragement. I spoke up.

"Good morning to all of you and welcome to Hope's Peak Academy.", I began. "My name is Makoto Naegi, this Academy's principal as well as a former student here. To begin, I'd like to thank you for showing this much interest in this project and presenting this many applications. You are 873 here today, but many thousands applied and most of them saw their dream unfulfilled. You've been selected among these many thousands of candidates because of your results in school, because of your motivation, but especially because of your many talents. My goal, as principal of this school, is to make sure that every single one of you has a chance to succeed in life, for your sake, and for the sake of others. Because as the name 'Hope's Peak' implies, you represent the future of hope, all in your own way. You were chosen because we thought you could make a difference in creating a society moving towards hope and by leading the way towards a better future. Some of you are known for their incredible sportive abilities, for their amazing leading qualities and some of you maybe even for your never-failing luck, but you all share one fate: constructing hope, which was put in danger in the last few years. This school was the best example of the despair that had tried to take control of the world. I've experienced it firsthand and I know that the best way to fight it is with you. It might not always be simple, you might face many challenges on your path to graduation here, but if you believe and work hard enough, you can be the ones making the difference in the future. You all have potential and it is now up to us to reveal it for the world to see. I have no doubt that among you all are the leaders of the world of tomorrow, a world full of optimism and hope. And while it is up to us to guide you on the right path, it is entirely up to you to build the world you want to be living in. Your work and investment will be crucial to forever put in the shadows the nefarious forces of despair still lurking around. The workload will be important, this I can consent to, but you must not see it as a burden. You are not alone. Seek the help of the other. Their advice, their support. You are 873 here and you each have a role to play in your own future, but also in the future of the 872 others. The entire education team will also be here for you, from your teachers, to the department managers, to the administration. I will be rooting for you, to build a world you can be proud of and for me to be able to say that I did my job properly when the oldest of you graduate at the end of the year. I know you'll do great and will overcome everything that will be thrown in your way, because you are part of the finest elite of your generation. In the name of Hope's Peak Academy, I wish you good luck on your new school life here and will now let Ms. Vice-Principal Kirigiri tell you more about the inner workings of the Academy. Have a nice year, and never forget, I believe in you."

I stepped back; my speech done. I was pretty satisfied with the tone and the words I used. These are the words I remember hearing when I entered this school for the first time, as the Ultimate Lucky Student. These are the beliefs that led me here, and this is how I know we can move towards a hopeful future. The look in the eyes of my students led me to believe I had used the right words. Kyoko took my place and arranged a few papers on the lectern before starting her speech. She seemed her confident self, cool and collected. I really admire this trait of hers: always ready to face the worst. And even if she might seem cold at first, I've known her for long enough to know how sweet and kind of a girl she really is.

She spoke up, and I immediately felt that I would not be the feared authority in this school…

Her tone was harsher than mine and she made herself clear that although all these talented high-schoolers represented the future of the world, they would need to stick to the rules. Kyoko always insisted that she was willing to act as "the bad girl" for the students so I wouldn't have to act too much out of character. And while it's true that I have trouble seeing myself as a punishment giver, I also know that this is not the Kyoko I learned to love either. But hey, I get the feeling I won't get to argue on this one.

After ten minutes, my lovely new subordinate finished her speech. She wished them good luck for their studies, her tone much closer to the one she uses around me and our other friends. Kyoko stepped back and we shared a smile. The department managers led their students back to their section of the school while Kyoko and I went back to our offices. The first step was done and all we could do now was hope for the best for these 873 pupils in who we placed the fate of the future.

"That was a pretty good speech, Mr. Headmaster.", Kyoko told me jokingly. "You inspired fear in all their eyes, you know?"

"Haha, very funny.", I replied ironically, giving her a disapproving look. "You'll be the one dealing with the troublemakers, Kyoko."

"And it's fine. I want you to deal with passing your message of hope to the students. The rest of the team will manage the rest to the best of our abilities."

I felt a surge a confidence rising through my body. With the help of everyone, I know we can make this project successful. And I know that even if I come to doubt myself, there will always be Kyoko by my side to guide me back on the right track, like she's done many times in the past.

"Thanks Kyoko. I mean it."

"No problem."

I entered my office and sat at my desk. It didn't feel bad to be sitting there, a fancy computer and many files scattered around my desk. Like I really had a role to play now. Not as a student, not as a Future Foundation member, but as the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy. I never could have imagined I'd ever find myself in this position when I applied for the school back then.

Kyoko went back to her own office next door as I began working on some files. There was a lot of paperwork to be filled and if I didn't get to it immediately, I'd be behind on my schedule quickly.

* * *

After about an hour of work, the bells rung, signaling the end of the morning's classes. The students would soon be heading for the cafeteria for lunch. Someone knocked on the door as I was about to go eat at the table near my desk.

"Come in.", I said.

The door opened, revealing the figure of my longtime friend Hina. Outside of Kyoko, Aoi is the person I trust the most and decided to let her be the last year Ultimate Class' manager. And considering the huge smile on her face, I understood everything had gone well.

"Hina! How is it going?", I asked her and gave her a quick hug.

"Great, thanks Makoto!", she replied. "These Ultimates you and Kyoko selected are the best! They behave and they already seem to be getting along quite well. The teachers were thrilled!"

"Is that so? Well, that's great. It was tough to assemble this class but I know that with you in charge, it'll all go smoothly."

"Thanks, Makoto. Or should I say… Mr. Principal Naegi?", Aoi teased.

I chuckled lightly. "Makoto is still fine. I'm not yet used to being called the principal, to be honest."

"Well, obviously it's going to take some time! But I'm sure that as Kyoko must have already told you, you'll do great. We know you well enough to say that with utmost certainty."

"He better do great.", someone said behind her. "We can't have the principal slacking off while _I_ have to deal with the few troublemakers."

Hina turned around and noticed Kyoko stepping out of her office.

"Kyoko!", she hugged her as she had just did with me. "How are you?"

"Quite fine, thanks. For now, at least.", Kyoko replied. "I trust that the Ultimates are not too hard to deal with?"

"Not at all! I was just telling Makoto that they are a nice class to work with."

"I'm glad. We worked so hard on assembling this class, I was honestly worried there would be a problem.", Kyoko added. I nodded in agreement.

"Hmm, I was about to eat, do you girls want to join me?", I proposed, pointing towards the table and chairs inside my office.

"Sure!", Hina said while Kyoko nodded.

We all sat down and took out our respective meals. We could be using the cafeteria ourselves, but I thought it'd be better if we let the students alone with their teachers, at least for the time being. And eating with my two best friends is something I could not refuse. As a result, however, I was forced to eat the joke of a lunch I had prepared this morning while Hina and Kyoko seemed to have prepared something more… consistent.

"It's amazing that you two got where you are now.", Hina told us. "From Ultimates to leaders of the Academy. I would have expected no less. I'm so, so proud of you, my friends."

Both Kyoko and I chuckled awkwardly. I never know how to react to praise, but Kyoko even less.

"And it's thanks to you and all the others who helped us see this through, Hina.", I told her. "We would never have been able to reopen Hope's Peak if it wasn't for your help."

"Nah, of course I'm here to give you a hand! Ever since we escaped the very same place we now stand in, I promised you guys I'd help to the best of my abilities! It's an honor to be a part of this amazing project!"

"Nevertheless, your help was major, Hina.", Kyoko chipped in. "As Makoto said, you've always been here, whether it was supporting us or taking on this important position here. Thank you so much for that."

Hina smiled gently at the two of us.

"It's true that we might not have met under the best of circumstances, but I'm happy to have you two around to help me and to be my friends.", I told the two girls. "It brings me back to the old days."

"It wasn't always easy, you're right.", Kyoko agreed with me. "And even though we were originally sixteen and that only six of us remain, I'll forever be grateful for meeting you."

"To be honest, I don't think I could have pulled through without you around.", Hina added. "When I lost Sakura, I thought I'd never see the light again. But now, I am fighting for hope with my two best friends. It couldn't have been any better in the end."

"Agreed.", I said. "I know our lost friends would be proud of what we are doing."

Sayaka, Mukuro (kinda), Leon, Chihiro, Mondo, Taka, Hifumi, Celeste and Sakura; the nine friends we lost during the Killing School Life. Every time one of them died, we felt like we wouldn't stand up ever again, but that was never the case: no matter how tough the loss, we always managed to keep faith. Some call me the Ultimate Hope, but this title is not mine to bear. It is ours.

We continued reminiscing about the past before getting into more professional matters.

"So, did all the equipment work properly?", Kyoko asked Hina.

"Yes, most definitely. I took the Ultimates around the Academy to show them the infrastructures and everything was working properly.", Hina replied. "Hmm, now that I think about it, Julian, the Ultimate Movie Producer, told me that a camera in his laboratory didn't work. But other than that, nothing."

"OK. We'll need to get that fixed.", I said. "Did you make sure the Ultimate Gunman couldn't bring his weapons out of his room?"

"Yes, I activated the security system. No weapon will trigger if two or more people are detected in the lab."

"Good. We cannot let any accident happen with an Ultimate talent such as this one.", I added, empathizing on the importance of my words. I didn't say anything more than 'accident' but I'm certain they understood what I meant.

"Actually, I was wondering why you selected him in the first place.", Hina said. "He is a very calm student; however, he doesn't seem to be very social nor interested in a group life."

"He was one I chose myself.", Kyoko told her. "His talent, if used properly, can be useful to fight against despair. This is why Makoto and I decided to select him to get used to social life."

I nodded in agreement. "For now, we need to make sure every class manages to form strong bonds. Make sure you tell your teachers to empathize on this.", I instructed Hina. "The last-year Ultimates in particular need to form a unified group. If they do not, things could go sour quickly."

"I understand. I'll make sure to bring it up, sir!", Hina said and saluted to me and Kyoko.

"Hina…", we both sighed. She giggled foolishly until Kyoko spoke up.

"Actually, Hina, I have one more thing I would need you to do.", she told her. "Please tell the Ultimates to make sure their e-book is set to 'Ultimate' settings so that their individual tasks can appear. They'll have a tight schedule for the entire year, so the sooner they begin, the better."

"Okay, I'll tell them.", the former Ultimate Swimming Pro told Kyoko as she ate a piece of her donut.

"Thanks. Well, I'll get back to my office if you don't mind.", Kyoko told us. "I've got lots of work to do, and unlike Mr. Principal, I don't plan on procrastinating."

Many would wonder how I could let my subordinate speak to me like this, but I've gotten so used to this sarcastic smirk of hers, I couldn't do anything but chuckle embarrassedly. Even if the official papers said otherwise, I consider Kyoko my equal in this school and I want to make sure everyone gets that.

She left my office, her handbag on her shoulder and opened the door on the other end of the hallway.

"So, Makoto, when do you tell her?", Hina asked me as Kyoko closed the door in the distance. "It'd be about time, wouldn't say?"

"Tell her what, Hina?", I asked innocently. I knew exactly where this was going, but I decided to bite anyway.

"C'mon, Makoto! Tell her how much you love her!", as expected, it was about this. "She deserves to know!"

"R-Right…", I muttered, looking for yet another excuse as for why I couldn't confess to Kyoko just yet. I found none, however.

"Now would be the best time if you want my opinion! She has completely recovered and you just finalized the project of your life!", Hina encouraged me. "I know how much she loves you, Makoto; she tells me about it all the time! You have no excuse! She doesn't either, actually!"

"I-I know… The way I'm acting is cowardly, but I just can't mutter the strength to man up and tell her…", I said, quite ashamedly. "It hurts, you know? Knowing that I love her so much but not being able to tell her. I should have told her right when she came back to us, but I didn't do it then. I should have told her when we began to work on reopening the school, but again, I didn't do it then…", I sighed. "But I'll do it! And soon, at that!"

"That's what I like to hear!", Hina cheered. "I'll give her a push in the right direction too and this will be a piece of cake for you!"

"Thanks Hina. If I pull this off, I'll forever be in your debt.", I said. "Well, more than before, at least."

"Because you don't think _I'm_ in your debt?!", she argued. "Makoto, you literally saved my life multiple times and you and Kyoko are my best friends, of course I'm gonna help you!"

I let out an unnatural chuckle since I couldn't find anything to say. Technically, she wasn't wrong, I had saved her life at Hope's Peak and during the Final Killing Game and we were indeed best friends, but I didn't feel like bragging.

"Well, anyway, I'll get back to my Ultimates.", Hina said. "Gotta make sure they can save the world, huh?"

"Eheh, right. I fully trust you, Hina. And Kyoko does too.", I repeated to give her the confidence I know she doesn't need. "Good luck."

"Thanks, Makoto. See ya', and good luck with your beautiful subordinate!"

And with these words, Hina came out of my office. I sat back down at my desk and thought intensely about what she had told me. What exactly was preventing me from declaring my love to Kyoko? I know I love her more than anyone besides my family and I'm pretty sure we share those feelings. Like Hina said, she completely recovered from the poison and we finally opened Hope's Peak again, so my two excuses for stalling for time are gone. Am I just too weak? Come on, Makoto! You survived two killing games, surely you can confess to the woman you love?!

My love life aside, I needed to fill my paperwork and decided that procrastinating was not an option, especially not on the first day. It would prove Kyoko right too, and I can't have that.

* * *

Came three o'clock and I turned to my computer for a videoconference with Kyoko and Byakuya regarding the school's external matters. As I did that, I remembered we had scheduled the call at 2:50 and that I would likely get admonished for my tardiness… I opened the software and joined the video call.

"Ah, Makoto, there you are.", Kyoko said as my webcam turned on.

Byakuya added, "Late as usual. This is not serious for the principal of Hope's Peak Academy."

"Hi Byakuya. I guess I was just too focused on my paperwork and missed the time.", I replied, in a less than convincing voice.

Their faces betrayed their doubts as to my claims, which were not even a lie! I decided not to bring it up and get on more serious work.

"So, are the scouting teams ready?", Kyoko asked Byakuya, getting the call back on track.

"Yes, five of them have been sent already and ten more are in the final stages of preparation.", he replied.

"I see. When do you think we could get the first reports?", I inquired. "The selecting process will take time, so the sooner the better."

"Well, it depends on the potential of the students we find.", Byakuya told me. "As I am sure you are well aware, not everyone has an Ultimate talent or the potential to develop one. But the Togami Group is making sure we'll get initial reports in less than two months."

"That is most satisfactory.", Kyoko commented. "Do you think the International Team could begin its scouting in less than four months?"

"Is that a deadline I need to satisfy?"

"It's nothing too strict, but it would be better this way.", Kyoko told Byakuya.

"They have lots of ground to cover, after all.", I added, trying to remain in the conversation.

"I won't lie: four months might be hard to achieve, but I could make sure a team leaves early to a specific continent.", Byakuya said, answering Kyoko's question.

"That could be a nice alternative.", Kyoko stated. "What do you think, Makoto?"

"Well…", I thought for a few seconds. "I agree, but we need to discuss their first destination, then."

"I'd suggest Europe.", Byakuya answered. "Like the Former Ultimate Princess, we could find many interesting students to scout there.", he added before muttering. "There's to hoping they don't decide to nuclearize their country…"

"I see. Kyoko?", I called, wanting her opinion.

"Well, I thought the Americas could be the best choice considering their proximity to Jabberwock Island.", she said.

"I had considered this too, but I have many more infrastructures that resisted the Tragedy in Europe, hence why I think it would be the best choice.", Byakuya argued.

I considered both of their choices before speaking up again.

"Since I believe splitting up wouldn't be efficient, we'll need to settle for only one.", I begun. "And I know you two enough to know you won't find an agreement."

They both turned their head to the side, clearly proving my point. I would need to settle this, or we wouldn't get anywhere.

"I could joke and choose a third continent, but I won't. I also believe the Americas would be the best choice, with a focus on North America."

I could see Kyoko smiling slightly at my choice while Byakuya sniffled and showed a grin to his webcam.

"I see I am the victim of the principal's bias for his subordinate, then.", he told us, clearly implying something.

"N-No, I-I just th-thought it was the w-wisest choice…", I stuttered as I began to blush an interesting shade of red.

"Mad, Byakuya?", Kyoko asked him, showing her customary smirk.

"Not at all. I'm glad to see you two are still as close as ever.", he added. "I'll get this underway as soon as possible."

I was actually relieved the two didn't start one of their ego battles; these can be quite the waste of time. But I guess we all matured since our time as schoolmates…

"Thanks Byakuya.", I told him. "You have my full trust on this one."

"Hmpf. I hope so."

"Now go out there and bring us results, Togami.", Kyoko said with a grin. "Hope's Peak Academy won't accept any excuses to justify failure, even from the Former Ultimate Affluent Progeny."

"Very well, Ms. Vice-Principal Kyoko Kirigiri. I shall make sure to not disappoint the expectations you have of me.", he replied, taunting her.

These two will _never_ change…

"Well, I believe we have settled everything.", I chipped in after a sigh. "Good luck, Byakuya."

"Thank you, Makoto. Good luck to you two.", Byakuya replied with a sincere smile before ending the call.

I closed the software and stood up on my way to Kyoko's office on the other end of the hall. I noticed a student - probably in his first year considering how young he looked - who straightened up at the sight of me. This was another reminder of the position I was now in and everything it implied. He was visibly waiting for Kyoko to give him some time. To save her some time, I decided to settle things myself.

"Good afternoon.", I began. "Ms. Kirigiri might be occupied, can I help you?"

"M-Mr. Principal!", he exclaimed in a little panic. "A-Actually, I n-needed to a-ask the vice-principal s-something."

Hearing him stutter like this made me smile.

"No need to panic, I don't bite.", I teased. "Except if you did something bad."

"O-Okay… Actually, my department manager said there was something odd in my administrational documents and asked me to come see the vice-principal.", he explained, visibly more relaxed.

"Is that so? Well, Ky-Ms. Kirigiri is in charge of all this, but perhaps I can help you get in touch with her."

I knocked on her door myself, knowing fully well that she had asked the boy to wait because of the meeting we were having. We were finished though…

I seemed to hear a grumbling sound on the other end before she said, "Please wait."

Entering without permission was out of the question, even as her friend, and I didn't know how to explain who I was. 'Kyoko' wouldn't do in front of a student and 'Ms. Vice-Principal' would be too formal.

So instead, "It's me, Ms. Kirigiri."

It felt strange to call her like this, but it was enough for her to come open the door.

"Mak-, uh, Mr. Principal, what is it?", she asked, noticing the student next to me.

"The young man here told me he had been asked to see you in your office to look over his administrational papers. He had been waiting for a little while, so I thought I could help him.", I replied. "I trust you aren't doing anything important right now?"

This last question was somewhat of an admonishment for letting the little guy out like this.

"Not at the moment, no. Please come in.", she said, gesturing to her office.

She went back to her desk and sat down, as me and the young student followed and sat on the other side.

"Could I please get your name and class, young man?", Kyoko asked.

"S-Shuichi Saihara, and I am in class 04-C.", he said, back to being intimidated by Kyoko.

She typed his name and class on her computer and read through the file.

"Did your department manager tell you where the mistake was?", she asked him.

"W-Well, I-I believe it was regarding m-my address, ma'am.", he shyly added.

"I'll change it then. What is your address, young man?"

He gave her the address and explained how his parents had recently moved overseas and he wasn't living with them anymore. Kyoko fixed the error quickly before noticing something and smiling at the boy.

"Future Ultimate Detective, huh?"

"W-Well… My uncle is a detective and I-I'd like him to be proud of me, so I d-decided to apply h-here…"

"That's a good objective to give yourself.", I told him reassuringly. "You see, Ms. Kirigiri is the Former Ultimate Detective, so she knows what she's talking about."

"I-I see…"

"Well, I've corrected this. You are free to go back to class.", Kyoko told him as she stood up.

"O-Okay… H-Have a nice day…", the student said before leaving the office.

"Good luck, Shuichi.", I told him as he closed the door. He managed a small smile.

I waited for the door to be fully closed before I addressed Kyoko again.

"Leaving students to wait in the corridor, Ms. Kirigiri? That won't do.", I told her jokingly.

"Well, we had just finished our meeting and I needed to organize some stuff, you see?"

"Yeah, of course. I'm kidding, Kyoko.", I said before changing the subject. "So we've got a future Ultimate Detective?"

"Indeed. Shuichi Saihara… I'll keep his name in mind.", she said. "By the way, thank you for agreeing with me earlier."

"No, no need. After some thought, I realized it was the best thing to do.", I explained. "And I'm glad you didn't argue with Byakuya over it, if you know what I mean."

"Why the disapproving look, Mr. Principal?", she teased. "Didn't you agree with me because I'm your cute subordinate?"

I found myself blushing again. And while blushing in front of Hina or Byakuya is fine, I _hate_ blushing in front of Kyoko.

I coughed awkwardly, "So how are things going on your end, Kyoko?"

"Well, this was the first time someone came for such an error, so I guess it's going fine?", Kyoko told me. "Same for you, I hope?"

"Yeah, no problem on my end for now.", I replied simply. "Kinda glad actually…"

"I told you there would be no problem, Makoto, didn't I?"

"I-I guess you did…"

"But now that I think about it, I presume you needed to tell me something in the first place, didn't you?", she asked me, actually getting back on topic.

"Hmm, yeah, actually.", I confirmed. And before I knew what I was doing I said, "Would you like to have dinner tonight? To celebrate?"

This might very well be the biggest lie of my life. Of course I wanted to celebrate the opening of the academy, but it wasn't my first motive for this invite. She didn't seem to catch on though, considering her reply.

"Sure, I'd love to. Did you invite Hina?"

I had to lie again, since, well… I was kinda hoping for a date, so…

"Y-Yeah, but she told me she had things to do and that she couldn't come.", it came out easily enough without me stuttering all the way through. But deep inside, I know that I can't fool her. She knows exactly why I'm asking this, and considering what Hina told me, she might have the same intentions…

"I see. Then where should I meet you?"

"Well, there's a pretty nice restaurant at the end of the street. I thought we could go there?"

"Okay. 7:30?"

"Fine with me.", I said. "Later then, Kyoko."

"See you later, Makoto."

I exited Kyoko's office with a smile and went back in my own office to finish my work for this first day. Nothing much happened since the students finished their classes at 5:30 and went to their rooms right after. I filled paperwork and had a call from Hiro, who I had chosen as the school's representative for the city. As the sun began to set, I headed home, closing my office before heading out, my first day as headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy already in the books.

I don't know if it will be easy or not, but as a survivor of the Killing School Life, as a member of Future Foundation, as the organizer of the Hope Restauration Program, as a survivor of the Final Killing Game, as the Ultimate Hope and as the Headmaster of this Academy, I swear I'll show the light of hope to the world, even if it costs me my life.

* * *

Back home, I took a quick shower and dressed fancily, at least to the best of my abilities. After spaying some cologne, I went out to meet with Kyoko. To say I was panicking would be an understatement: I knew I needed to confess to her this evening or I would not do it for many more months. And with a newly-found resolve, I approached the restaurant in question.

We arrived at pretty much the same time, although in different directions. Noticing her was easy enough, her long lavender hair standing out among the crowd of the street. I stared at her as discretely as I could. Her red and purple working attire replaced by a white blouse and black skirt, I found myself grinning at how good-looking she was. I would have loved to believe my formal attire (my black suit and red tie) could match her beauty, but there was no chance it actually was the case. I honestly found myself dumbfounded at how beautiful she looked, even more than usual, and even from afar.

She noticed me and we both paced towards each other. I saw a genuine smile appearing on her face, one that I would never get enough of. As we got closer to each other, I finally got a chance to analyze her beauty in its finest details: just the right amount of make-up, her usual braid in her hair and those shining purple eyes.

"Good evening, Makoto.", she told me smilingly as we met in front of the restaurant.

"Hey there Kyoko.", I replied, matching her cheeriness. "You look beautiful."

I had _not_ meant to let that slip, but it was too late to take it back. It was most definitely the truth but I got to wonder how something I had wanted to tell her for years came out on a slip of the tongue… Either way, she blushed all too slightly before replying. And although I hate blushing in front of her, I could never get enough of her cute blush, revealing the true Kyoko I came to love so much.

"T-Thank you, Makoto. That is really kind of you.", she said, regaining her composure. "You don't look too bad either."

I did my best not to blush myself but I think it was a fruitless attempt.

"T-Thank you…", I muttered to the best of my abilities.

"Shall we enter, Makoto?"

"Uh, yeah, of course.", I said. "Go ahead, ladies first."

She obliged and entered the restaurant as I followed right behind. I heard her leather high-heeled boots echo on the pavement before it stopped on the carpet of the restaurant. Everything about her, from her clothes to her face to her body looked perfect. And that's when I began to wonder how I managed to resist the urge to just grab her by the waist and kiss her lovingly for this long. Okay, we might have had some other important things to do, but still… Well, I knew the goal was to stop the drought this night and to finally act like a man.

"Good evening, lady and gentleman.", a waiter greeted us as we entered. "Would you like a table?"

"Yes, please. For two.", Kyoko answered even before I could utter a word.

"Very well, please follow me."

We both obliged, noticing on our way the good number of patrons eating romantically, until we arrived. Luckily enough (I guess I kept some of that Ultimate Lucky Student luck?), the tables nearby were not occupied and I know we wouldn't have any trouble communicating.

"Please, be seated.", the waiter told us. "Will you want a drink?"

"Hmm, yeah, sure.", I replied.

"Then please look into out drinks card at your heart's content.", he said, handing the both of us a card of the available drinks.

"Makoto?", Kyoko called me out.

"Yes? What is it?"

"This is celebration, right?"

"Yep."

"Champagne, then?", she smiled.

"Champagne it is.", I agreed, returning her the smile.

"I see that you have made your choice. I shall bring you this shortly.", the middle-aged waiter said before bowing and leaving us together.

"Truly beautiful sky, huh?", I said, engaging the discussion.

"Truly. The stars are really a sight to behold.", she replied. "And to say we once thought we'd never see them anymore…", she sighed.

"It would have been a waste, I agree. Our time locked in Hope's Peak… I never thought _this_ would happen when I applied, to be honest."

"Me neither, Makoto. Me neither…"

"But there were still good moments, right?"

"Too many to count them.", Kyoko agreed softly. "Meeting all of you, our classes together, our bonding afternoons… They made me grow, you know?"

"Me too, Kyoko. Being around all these Ultimates forged me into the person I am today. And for that, I will always be grateful."

"That's because you always had it in you, Makoto. Ever since the day you stepped inside Hope's Peak, you were destined to become who you are.", she said. "All you needed was a push in the right direction. We both did."

The wink made me chuckle. "And we became more resilient as a result. Even if these were trying times, I still remember fondly our investigations together. You at the lead, discovering all the clues while I was trying to catch up…"

"'Catch up?!'", she echoed in surprise. "Makoto! You had more impact on the investigations than I did!"

"No need to be nice to me, Kyoko.", I said gently. "It was a pleasure to be your assistant. We formed a pretty good team, didn't we?"

"We surely did. I don't know if I'll ever get back to detective work, but if I do, I'd be pleased to work with you again.", Kyoko told me. "So that I'd be the boss again."

"Kyoko…", I sighed funnily. "You know I'll never be able to boss you around like you did, don't you? Whatever the papers might say, you're in charge as much as I am."

"Thanks, Makoto. Your trust means a lot to me."

"Well, last time I kept a secret from you, you pouted for days, so of course I trust you!", I joked.

"Oh come on! I told you I had overreacted!", she responded playfully. "By the way, I'm still sorry for doubting your motives back then."

"And I'm still sorry for hiding info from you.", I held my hand forward in a friendly manner. "Water under the bridge?"

"Since long ago.", she smiled and shook my hand softly. And even though she was still wearing her gloves, her touch filled me with a feeling of joy.

"And here is your bottle of champagne.", the waiter said as he came back with a glass bottle and two flutes on his tray.

"Thank you.", we both answered as he set everything down and handed us two cards.

"This is our menu card. Please make your choice and don't hesitate to call me if you have any question or request."

"Alright. Thank you, sir.", I replied as he once again bowed.

"Makoto, will you do the honors?", Kyoko asked as she picked up her glass.

"Sure.", I took the bottle and filled her flute before doing the same in my own.

"I raise my glass to Hope's Peak Academy!", she said as we toasted. "Cheers!"

"To a world full of hope and to our great friends who helped us see it through.", I added as we took a sip of the soft alcohol.

I am _not_ an alcohol person, at all. Even champagne can get me dizzy after a few too many drinks, so I must always make sure to control myself. But frankly, dining with Kyoko as we celebrate the achievement of our life… I wouldn't have it any other way.

We began to look through the menu card to choose our orders. Considering the subpar meal I had eaten for lunch; I was pretty hungry. I won't lie and say I didn't gulp at the sight of the prices but didn't show it.

"Have you already eaten here, Makoto?", Kyoko asked me, still looking through the menu.

"I'm afraid not. I'm just looking for the word 'curry' to show up to make my choice, to be honest…", I replied, scratching the back of my head.

"Still a curry aficionado, are you Makoto?"

"First and foremost. Still a coriander fan, Kyoko?", I teased her gently.

"Ugh, no thanks…", she gulped in disgust. "This thing is horrendous."

"That's because you can't appreciate the finest tastes in it, Kyoko.", I told her, like I had _any_ knowledge of culinary matters.

"And what do _you_ know about tastes, exactly?", she sent me a doubtful glance. "As former Future Foundation 14th Branch's leader, I believe I ate in many more fancy restaurants than you did."

"Yeah…", I conceded. "Probably. But hey, now we'll have plenty of meetings and diners to attend to!"

"That... is very true, actually.", Kyoko realized. "Even after all everything that happened, Hope's Peak remains the country's best school. And technically, we are still working with Future Foundation."

"Do you realize that actually? We are in charge of the best school in the _country_.", I said, the words making my head spin as I said them. "It's… quite hard to register."

"It is, yes. But we can't let this get the better of us. A lot of people are counting on us and we cannot let them down."

"Thanks for making me even more nervous…"

"S-Sorry…", she muttered. "I… I might actually be trying to escape my own nervousness by pointing out yours… Sorry, Makoto."

"No, no, it's fine. So you finally admit that you were as stressed as I was?", I asked her with a grin.

"I never said I wasn't.", she replied straightforwardly. "I'm just better at hiding it, is all."

"Kyoko… You know I'm the emotional kind of guy!"

"And that's why I love teasing you!", Kyoko added. "But I still wonder how we can still be nervous after everything we went through."

"Good question.", I nodded. "I was wondering that myself but I didn't find an answer. I mean, we might have important responsibilities, but leading a school can't be as difficult as stopping the Tragedy… Right?"

"I'd wager so, yes. Unfortunately, neither of us is the Ultimate School Headmaster… And I didn't get the time to learn from my father. All I can do is rely on my former work at the Foundation but that might not suffice."

"Well, as you said, we'll manage, won't we?"

"Right. I'm sure that with Hina, Byakuya and the others with us, that shouldn't be a problem.", she said. "I know Byakuya could give us a good advice or two about managing."

"Not that you'd ask, would you?", I joked.

"Makoto!", Kyoko exclaimed but couldn't resist chucking.

"Sorry, sorry… Please forgive me, Kirigiri-sensei…!"

"You really are the worst, aren't you? But that's what I like about you: levelheaded but always up for a little tease. You're still somewhat of a kid sometimes, but you're a cool guy."

And we're back to blushing…

"Thanks Kyoko. That means a lot.", I told her sincerely. "You've mainly been the one giving me the confidence to stand tall, so I owe it to you."

"No, you don't owe me anything, Makoto. It's just what friends do, right?"

I smiled gently. It's true that between friends, we always do what we think is best for each other. And that also applies to Hina, Byakuya, Hiro and the others.

"But I'm truly lucky to have a friend like you, Kyoko."

"And I am even luckier to have a friend like you, Makoto."

In retrospect, this could almost be considered a confession, but since the waiter took us out of it, it didn't quite go that way.

"Are our customers ready to take their orders?", he asked us, breaking our pretty cool moment.

"Ah, hmm, yeah, I think we do.", I replied uncomfortably. "I'll have one curry tandoori chicken, please."

"And I'll have chicken wings, please.", Kyoko said.

"Very well. I shall bring you this shortly."

With the waiter gone for a little while, we could finally resume our chat.

"Another glass, Makoto?", Kyoko asked me, holding the champagne bottle in the middle of the table.

"Sure. Thank you."

She poured me my second glass and I promised myself not to leave the restaurant drunk.

We cheered again and took a sip of the soft alcohol in our flutes.

"Did you get any news from Jabberwock Island recently, Makoto?", she asked me.

"Well, Hajime called me to ask how our work with the Academy was going but I didn't get the chance to speak to the others, unfortunately.", I replied. "I hope they'll be able to find some peace for a while now. The world is after them after all."

"Indeed. Taking the blame for what happened at the Foundation's HQ was brave.", Kyoko agreed. "They didn't need to do that. At least… I don't think so."

"Yeah, you're right. But they deemed it right and I won't blame them for that. We'll have to make a trip there one day."

"Absolutely. With all these Ultimates I'm sure they can turn this island into an absolute paradise."

"Kind of like what we are trying to do with our students, in the end?", I said.

"Pretty much, yeah.", she replied, fiddling with her hair. "And if our Ultimates could get along as much as they do, then that would mean we did our job correctly."

"Well, from what Hina told me, they seem to be bonding already, so I'm not worrying about that.", I added with a confident expression. "They might not _all_ get together right from the start, but I'm sure that after a year, they will be united. Pretty much like we were, right?"

She chuckled. "We certainly did have… conflicting classmates…", Kyoko sighed. "Byakuya and pretty much the entire class, for starters. And then there was Mondo and Taka, fortunately they ended up getting along, but that was a pain at the start… And Toko was not the most sociable person out there but she ended up finding her place in the class. Talking about Toko, is she still in Towa City with your sister, Makoto?"

"Yes, she is. I've heard from Komaru that they were 'getting along',", I made quote marks with my fingers. "if you know what I mean by that."

"Oh, I see! That is good news!", she said with a genuine smile. Kyoko and Komaru had only met once but they had seemed to have befriended each other quite quickly. "No luck for Byakuya, then?"

"I don't think he was very interested in the first place…", I muttered in response. "I believe it was a one-sided fantasy."

"Well, that's quite the change Toko made there. 'Playing for both teams', as they say!"

"W-Well… I know Komaru's kind of the same…", I said before adding extremely lowly. "Runs in the blood, I guess?"

"You say something, Makoto?", Kyoko wondered. At first, I thought she had heard me and wanted to tease me, but I don't think she did, seeing the genuine questioning in her tone.

"N-No, it's nothing.", I lied. Well, it didn't change anything when it came to Kyoko: she was honestly amazingly attractive and I had already fallen so much in love with her, I didn't need to question my sexuality anymore. "I wonder how the repairs of Towa City are going…"

"Well, with Monaca Towa out of the picture, there shouldn't be anything getting in your sister and Toko's way now.", she replied. "But there must still be a lot of work, considering how badly it was affected by despair."

"You're right. I'll give Komaru a call soon."

"Good idea.", Kyoko said before the waiter reappeared with another tray.

"There are your meals, fine customers.", he said. "One curry tandoori chicken for mister and six chicken wings for ma'am. Both are accompanied by French fries and a variety of vegetables. Please, enjoy your meal."

He handed us our plates and bowed for the final time before leaving. My meal looked delicious and Kyoko quickly picked up on my glowing eyes and near-drooling mouth.

"You seem hungry, Makoto.", she stated curiously. "Didn't you eat enough for lunch?"

"Well, not really…", I admitted. "I am not a good cook at all and every time I prepare something for myself I end the day completely famished."

"I see… That is not a good habit, Makoto. I can't quite say I am a good cook myself, but I picked up a few easy recipes for when I just need to grab a bite.", she told me, almost like she was my mom and plunged her fork to her fries. "I can help you learn one or two quick ones, if you want. I wouldn't want to see my dear boss die of malnutrition, after all."

"I'd rather not die either…", I sighed. "Thank you Kyoko, I would very much like that.", I said thankfully.

"No problem. Now, go ahead and eat, you glutton!", she said and slapped me playfully.

I obliged and I felt like I had not eaten for days with how succulent the chicken was. The first bite convinced me that the prices in the card were justified. And as a curry aficionado, I could clearly claim that this was one of the best curry I had ever eaten. This evening was turning out to be a great one.

"I must say that these chicken wings are quite good too.", Kyoko said. "You definitely made the right choice in choosing this place, Makoto."

"Yeah, I'm having the meal of my life.", I replied, my eyes betraying the hunger I needed to get rid of. "This is better than what they served at Branch fourteen's restaurant, at least."

"Is that criticism of the way I led our great Branch, Mr. Naegi?", she asked, giving me a disapproving look I quickly understood to in fact be a teasing one.

"Not at all, Kyoko. You were my first ever employer, and I think I got pretty lucky.", I replied rather seriously at what wasn't a serious question to begin with.

"Well, I knew that the 'cold girl' act wouldn't work on you anymore…", she sighed. "And frankly, you did so much work back then, I had nothing to say. It's a shame all members weren't like that."

"You give me too much praise, Kyoko. I wouldn't have been able to get anything done if it weren't for your and Byakuya's leadership.", I corrected. "And the Neo World Program meant so much to me, I _had_ to work hard to make it successful."

"It's true that you were quite adamant on it. And it was the right choice, though the leaders didn't approve of it back then.", Kyoko said. "You always had it in you to lead people, Makoto."

"R-Really?", I asked and blushed slightly at her warm smile. "T-Thank you, Kyoko."

She took a sip of her champagne glass while I took a bite off of my tandoori chicken.

"Oh, and I forgot to ask! How is your eye, Kyoko?"

"Much better.", she replied. "I don't feel any pain anymore and my eyesight is basically back to what it used to be."

"That's good to hear. Honestly, when we found your body…", I winced at the thought. "I thought I was going to die."

"Makoto…"

"I cried my heart out, hoping that you could somehow come back. Hina was the same. And then I realized the words you told me were parting words…", tears began to form under my eyes. "I didn't know what to do. I felt so guilty, you wouldn't even imagine. I thought you had sacrificed your life for me… and that wasn't necessary, Kyoko. You should have told me and I would've let you kill me."

"Makoto! What are you even saying?!", she freaked out pretty angrily. "Never could I even think of such a thing! I knew that the antidote would probably save me, that's why I didn't tell you. And I also knew that you would tell me something of the sort if I told you about it, Makoto. And after what I did to you during Mukuro's trial, I can't ever have you face death again. Not under my watch, Makoto."

Her words broke me down and I began to cry continuously. The weight of the events had sometimes haunted my nights in the form of horrible nightmares, and although Kyoko had come back to us, I don't think I will ever forget the sight of her, comatose and with her left eye bleeding. She had looked so pale, so empty but still hopeful. When I read her forbidden action, I understood that she had exchanged her life for mine and that she was passing me a will to carry on. She wanted me to fight for hope, whatever the situation. And although I plan to carry on this will of hers, I won't do it alone but with her by my side.

"K-Kyoko… T-Thank you…", I struggled through my tears. "Thank you, f-for everything…"

She looked at me with a kind and warm smile before handing me a tissue from her bag. I took it and gave her a quick nod of appreciation before blowing my noise in it. It made a sound so childish; she visibly couldn't help but chuckle. I brushed my tears with my hands in an attempt to look somewhat more composed.

"S-Sorry you had to see that, Kyoko…", I told her weakly.

"No, Makoto. You shouldn't excuse yourself for letting out what you needed to.", she replied. "You were the one who taught me so much about human emotions, this is the least I can do."

Kyoko went back to her chicken wings while I desperately searched for something to say. She didn't seem to be waiting for me to add anything, but I _needed_ to add something.

"W-What you said…", I began lowly. "About not having me face death again… You mean that, Kyoko?"

She raised her head in a swift motion and looked at me in the eyes, her face neither soft nor angry.

"I do.", she simply said.

"I see. Thank you, Kyoko. Thanks a lot."

I went back to my food myself and after another twenty minutes of eating and chatting, we eventually finished both of our plates.

"Well, I think I have eaten enough for a week!", I declared proudly. "That was great!"

"Glad to hear this, Makoto. But please make sure you don't let yourself eat subpar meals at work, okay?", she asked me, her voice visibly concerned for me.

"Don't worry, I will. And with your help, I'm sure I can prepare one or two good things."

"That would indeed be best.", Kyoko said before standing up. "Hmm, I'm sorry, but I need to use the restroom…"

I chuckled a little. This was one of the oldest tricks in the book…

"Alright. I'll go and pay then.", I said, not bothering hiding my grin.

"N-No! T-That's fine, Makoto!"

"But didn't you need to use the restroom?", I pressed on. "Kyoko, it's fine. I invited you, of course I'm going to pay."

Her shoulders dropped and she sighed. "This is a battle I'm not going to win, isn't it?"

"Not a chance.", I told her and stood up myself.

We both walked towards the entrance and to the register. There was another staff member behind the desk.

"Good evening, dear customers.", he greeted us. "I hope you had a good time?"

"Most definitely.", I replied and Kyoko nodded approvingly. "How much do I owe you?"

"$180, please."

I gulped slightly and hoped it went unnoticed. I took out my wallet and my credit card and inserted it in the terminal. I typed my code and paid. To say that this was not the type of expense I was used to would be an understatement since my allocation as a Future Foundation member had allowed me to live well but I was nowhere near rich. Perhaps being the principal of the best school in the country could change that?

"Thank you sir.", the cashier said. "Have a nice evening, lady and gentleman."

"Thank you, you too.", I said before stepping back and putting my credit card back into my wallet. I joined Kyoko a few steps away.

"How much was it, Makoto?", she asked.

"A sixth of my wage at the Foundation.", I replied quickly.

"W-Wait, that much?! Grr… Why did I even let you pay?"

"It's okay, Kyoko. I'm glad we could dine together."

By saying that, I realized that we were about to step out of the restaurant and that I had not yet confessed to her. We had had such a nice time together that I had almost forgotten about my objective, believe it or not.

We exited the fancy restaurant and found ourselves back on the street. The moon was illuminating the starry night sky and the quiet of the street was very calming. It was already late and most people were back home from work.

* * *

After closing the door behind me, I called Kyoko out, who was still a little ahead of me. I was shaking but tried not to focus too much on that. I needed to be as natural as possible, especially for what I was about to say.

"Kyoko? C-Can we talk for a minute or two?", I asked.

"Yes, of course.", she answered, visibly surprised. "Isn't it what we've been doing all evening?"

"W-Well… Yeah, but I wanted to talk about something else…"

"Okay. Go ahead, I'm all ears."

I wondered if she knew what I was about to say. It would seem pretty obvious to anyone who knew about my feelings and considering that Hina had already told her, I thought she'd catch on. But I needed to finally tell her and after mustering some courage, I spoke up.

"T-There's something I need to tell you, Kyoko.", I began. "Something I wanted to tell you for the longest time, actually. Ever since we befriended each other after Sayaka's trial, I felt like I needed to tell you, but I never found in myself the strength to do so. K-Kyoko… I love you."

The words were out and were surprisingly easy to say. I noticed her being a little surprised but continued to speak anyway.

"Ever since we met, I realized that you are an awesome person, always caring, always kind, always considerate, extremely smart and absolutely radiant.", I enumerated her qualities, something I had done in front of the mirror for months, if not years. "The way you showed care for me even when I was a stranger like another… it touched my heart. The way you trusted me always and saved my life in this garbage dumpster, I will never, ever, forget it. And before I knew it, the little crush I had on you became strong feelings. I loved being around you, loved chatting with you, loved working with you, loved getting to know you better. When we began to work together at the Foundation, I was so glad because I knew that it meant I could still be close to you. And then, there was the Final Killing Game."

She listened very carefully to my little improvised confession speech. The surprise on her face was gone and instead replaced by a lovely smile. This gave me the will to continue.

"You defended me, even when everyone was against me. You trusted what I did even when you could have potentially lost your job. When the game began, you learned of your forbidden action and yet, you didn't tell me because you thought I'd choose your life over mine. And I would have. I would have because you mean so much to me.", she began to tear up slightly. "You told me to keep faith and always trust in hope. Those are the words you told me back in Hope's Peak when Sayaka died and hearing them again back then, I felt like I could accomplish anything. But then you were taken from me. I died alongside you then, Kyoko. And if it weren't for Hina, I would have never stood up again. But I did my best to fulfill your wishes and fought to the best of my abilities. I understood at that moment that you wouldn't ever really be gone, because even if you weren't physically there, your words will always be in my heart. You'll never disappear for me, Kyoko, because I love you too much for that. And then, I witnessed a miracle. You came back to me, the same as before, still the wonderful girl you've always been. And I realized that I always knew you were alive. Dying is not like you, Kyoko. You are too strong for that. Sometimes, your strength impresses me to a point where I wonder if I'm not just too weak for a man. But now, I realize. This feeling wasn't weakness, it was trust. I trust you to a point where I know you'll make the right call. I always trusted you, first as a friend, and if my love for you is mutual, then I'd trust you as something more. I love you, Kyoko, like I have never loved someone before, and I would be the happiest man in the world if you shared even a tenth of my feelings for you."

This was my second long speech of the day, after the one I gave the students this morning. But this one was personal. The nervousness I had felt this morning disappeared every time I said another word. Because I realized that love is not something you should be nervous about.

She rubbed her tears away. I expected words, but I didn't get any. Instead, she covered the two of three steps separating us and got closer to me.

I could feel her breath, her aura around me. I was completely lost. I couldn't do anything but appreciate her beautiful features, every detail of her face. She was perfect.

And then she brought her lips closer to mine.

Our lips brushed and she wrapped her hands around my neck in a loving way.

I felt myself leaving earth as I wrapped my arms around her body, placing one hand on the back of her head, in her long hair and the other along her back.

I kissed her back, trying to show her how much I had meant the words she had heard. But I couldn't feel anything other than her feelings for me. She loved me as much as I loved her, there was no doubt about it. _Kyoko loves me._ The words didn't even ring true. The girl of my dreams, the first one for who I had ever developed such feelings was in love with me.

But as we kissed, I realized that it was the truth. I had never been happier.

Even with my eyes closed, I could still see her in all her stunning beauty. I could see Kyoko, her soft smile on her pretty face under the stars. She was my hope, the one I wanted to fight for more than any other. We deepened our kiss even more.

How long did we remain in one another's embrace, I don't even know. But when our lips finally parted and we opened our eyes, the truth was still the same. I loved Kyoko Kirigiri and Kyoko Kirigiri loved me.

"Does that answer satisfy you?", she asked.

As if it was necessary to even ask. She had conveyed her feelings with a single kiss when it took me tens and tens of words. But perhaps it just meant we had different ways to love?

Whatever she might say, I know that I am more of a feminine boy, and I'm not a mountain of muscles or a runner-up for Olympics gold for any sport. But still, she fell in love with me. I know that I don't have the strength she has, or even the bravery she has. But still, she fell in love with me.

When I realized that, I also realized that she loved me for who I am. Makoto Naegi, a guy so normal it made him stand apart from the others. And the most wonderful person in the whole world had fallen for this guy. It warmed my heart.

"More than any words ever could.", I replied.

"I love you, Makoto Naegi. I am madly in love with you."

I had just said that no words could ever satisfy me more than the proof of love she had shown me, but hearing her say that felt special. Other than my parents and Komaru, no one had ever told me that.

"I am madly in love with the way you are, always caring for the others and with a sense of responsibility that many would call foolish. I am madly in love with the trust you showed and continue to show me. I am madly in love with how hopeful you always are. I am madly in love with how _freaking_ handsome you are. I am madly in love with the whole of you, Makoto. If someone had ever told me a few years back that I would fall in love for someone, I would not have believed them. But you are special, Makoto. Ever since I laid my eyes on you, at Hope's Peak, I felt something for you. A crush, at the start. It was tough for me to deal with that, since I had been educated to think that things like crushes were silly. But you were still there, trusting and believing in me. And there was a time that I stopped having a crush on you. I fell in love, plain and simple. My feelings for you know no end, Makoto, and I'm ready to live with you until the end of my life, and even after that if the Man Above is kind enough to let us remain together then."

She left me utterly speechless.

"Now that this is said, shall we get a move on, Mr. Principal?", Kyoko asked me with a grin.

"You are coming my way, _sweetheart_."

"I wouldn't mind that, _honey_."

And with that, we began to walk towards my apartment, hand in hand. I had had the day of my life and was about to experience the night of my life…

_**The End.** _

**Author's Note:**

> I've got a sequel to this story thought out and am currently writing! So if you liked this story, make sure to read it when I'm (eventually) done with it! Thank you for reading!


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